Keurig Canada provides maternity and parental leave top-up payments for employees who are new or adoptive mothers, depending on employee group (up to 90% of salary for 18 weeks), and also offers the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence

In addition to supporting a number of local and national community organizations, Keurig Canada encourages employees to give back with matching employee donations (to $1,000 annually) and financial donations to charities where employees volunteer their time ($250 for every 25 volunteer hours)

Keurig Canada supports ongoing employee development with tuition subsidies for courses taken at outside institutions (to $1,500), in-house and online training programs, and subsidies for professional accreditation

Keurig brews a special mix of work and volunteerism

Keurig infuse un mélange spécial de travail et de bénévolat

If you want to join Keurig Canada Inc., a company passionate about coffee (and tea), it helps to have a sunny disposition. "Coffee is social -- it's fun," explains Olivier Lemire, Keurig Canada's Vice President, Human Resources. "We want people who take their jobs seriously, but not themselves."

Retention, Lemire adds, also depends on a workplace where people can grow and reach their full potential. "It's a unique mind-set and people need to be ready to take on challenges and go beyond." While Keurig Canada, for example, pays for outside training, the company also supports professional development in other ways. For one thing, it is a big believer in moving people around the organization so they can learn and develop other skills to get a better understanding of the business.

Indeed, Lemire joined Keurig Canada five years ago in sales. Later, he expressed an interest in supply management. "Instead of sending me to class," he says, "the company did it for real -- they put me in the job and made sure I had the necessary support to perform." Subsequently, he was offered a promotion into his current position, again with mentoring when needed.

For his part, Maxime-Olivier Gauthier, Brand Manager Keurig, also started in sales before moving to marketing. "The company is very open to shifting people into different roles," he says. "It's a great place to grow."

Gauthier also appreciates the company's generous community support initiatives. Keurig Canada matches employee charitable contributions up to $1,000 and provides everyone with up to a remarkable 52 hours paid time off for volunteer work. "They really encourage you to make a difference," says Gauthier.

Each office unit has a Community Action for Employees ambassador who promotes volunteer opportunities. "People come back to work from these experiences so energized that it inspires others to take part," Gauthier says. "And if you go once, you want to go twice."

As well, employees vie for annual opportunities to spend a week in a coffee-growing country where Keurig Canada cultivates partnerships and supports local farmers. In many communities, the company helps improve peoples' livelihoods and builds a resilient supply chain. "We want our employees to really make connections with our suppliers," says Lemire. "We want them to take pride in the relationship."